knew
I had sunk my forehead
Through and through;
Harsh and horrid
Through all the pleasure
Of rose and vine
I thrust my treasure,
The cone of the pine.
Irru's maid
Was easily sated,
For she was afraid
When Irru mated!

CRASSUS.
Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!

ALICIA.
You would not laugh
Were you the maid!

CRASSUS.
How could I be?

ALICIA.
Great calf!
But you are all the same, blaspheme and jeer
At any mystery beyond your sphere
Of beer, and beef, and beer, and beef, and beer.
Now you have frightened the shy god!

CRASSUS.
Why heed?
Between your - arms - is all the god I need.

ALICIA.
Prudish and coarse to the last. Now hush indeed!
The stream kisses the lake. We near the shrine.
Stir no snapped twig. Let your foot - even yours -
Fall like a fawn's.

CRASSUS.
Your breath is like new wine.

ALICIA.
Hush now! no porpoise gambols!

CRASSUS.
How obscure's
The glimmer of the lake. Is that the isle?

ALICIA.
Yes! in that shadow lurks a smile.
See; from that jagged cloud Diana starts
Like a deer from the brake; her silver splendour darts
Through the crisp air to the grove upon the isle...
Do you see her? Do you see her?

CRASSUS.
Monstrous! Vile!
These eyes betray me.

ALICIA.
No! your Adela lies
With arms thrown back, head tilted, open thighs.
Her lips flame out like poppies in the dusk.
The breeze brings back to us a scent of musk.
Her mouth is oozing kisses!

CRASSUS.
Filthy harlot!

ALICIA.
I never fed on a superber scarlet.
And look! the wonder of plumes that foams upon
Her tidal breast - oh, but a swan! a swan!
A swan snow-white with his sole scarlet hidden
In the abode forbidden!

O but his eye swoons as his broad beak slips
Within her luscious lips.
O but - I cannot see - I long to die
Alike for wonder - and for jealousy!

CRASSUS.
Vile, filthy whore! I'll catch you at it.

ALICIA.
Soft!
See how his feathers hold her soul aloft!

CRASSUS.
Beast! Have you brought me through the wood for
this?

ALICIA.
Now wonder I must teach you how to kiss.

CRASSUS.
I'll clip his wings.

ALICIA.
Sub pennis, penis! 'Slife!
It's not the wings of him that clip your wife.

CRASSUS.
Thou art as filthy a creature as she!

ALICIA.
Fat fool!
All your emotions vary with your -

CRASSUS.
What?

ALICIA.
Your state of health.

CRASSUS.
Be off with you, foul --

ALICIA.
Well?

CRASSUS.
I'll swim and stab them. The black mouth of hell
Yawns for t